Proposal Preparation

1. Proposal Preparation NSF Workshop for Sponsored Project Administrators at Hispanic Serving Institutions April 13, 2007 - Miami, FL April 20, 2007 – Albuquerque, NM

2. Ask Early, Ask Often!!

3. Outline • Finding funding opportunities • Searching the NSF web site • “MyNSF” sign up for automatic email notifications • Proposal Development Strategies • Institutional Projects • Individual Investigators • Following NSF Guidelines • Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) • Program solicitations • Budget guidelines

4. Think through your project idea before searching for funding programs. A good proposal is a good idea, well expressed, with a clear indication of methods for pursuing the idea, evaluating the findings, making them known to all who need to know, and indicating the broader impacts of the activity. Search by key words or for the appropriate program office. Finding Funding

5. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/

6. http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/

7. Types of Funding Opportunities NSF provides the following types of funding opportunities • Program Description • Published only on the NSF website. • Proposals must follow GPG instructions. • Program Announcement • Published NSF document describing the program. • Proposals must follow GPG instructions. • Program Solicitation • Published document with additional restrictions and/or requirements. • Proposals must follow both the solicitation and the GPG instructions • Dear Colleague Letter • Notifications of opportunities or special competitions for supplements to existing NSF awards.

8. Proposal Development Key Questions 1. What do you intend to do? 2. Why is the work important? 3. What has already been done? 4. How are you going to do the work?

9. Proposal Development Strategies • Determine your long-term research/education goals or plan • Develop your bright idea • Survey the literature • Contact Investigators working on the topic • Prepare a brief concept paper • Discuss with colleagues/mentors

10. Proposal Development Strategies (cont’d) • Prepare to do the project • Determine available resources • Realistically assess needs • Develop preliminary data • Present to colleagues/mentors/students • Determine possible funding sources • Understand the ground rules

11. Proposal Development Strategies (cont’d) • Ascertain overall scope and mission • Read carefully solicitation instructions • Determine where your project fits • Ascertain evaluation procedures and criteria • Talk with NSF Program Officer: • Your proposed project • Specific program requirements/limitations • Current program patterns • Coordinate with your organization’s sponsored projects office

12. Follow the NSF Guidelines • Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) • Program solicitation • Budget guidelines

13. Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) • Provides guidance for preparation and submission of proposals to NSF; • Process for deviations from the GPG • Process and criteria by which proposals will be reviewed • Reasons why a proposal may be returned without review • Reconsideration process • Process for withdrawals, returns & declinations • Award process and procedures for requesting continued support • Significant award and administration processes • Budget line item definitions • Process for submission of collaborative proposals (subawards and multiple proposals)

14. Program Solicitation Key Components • Goal of the program • Deadline(s) • No deadline • Deadline • Target date • Submission Window • Type of proposal submission • Preliminary proposals • Invite/not invite • Encourage/not encourage • Letters of Intent • Required • Optional • Full proposals

15. Program Solicitations Key Components (cont’d) • Eligibility • Special proposal preparation requirements • For example: • Required components within the project description • Required Supplementary Documents • Special award requirements • For example: • Additional reporting • Attendance at meetings • Additional Review Criteria (depends on the program)

16. Budgetary Guidelines • Amounts • Reasonable for work - Realistic • Well Justified - Need established • In-line with program guidelines • Eligible costs • Personnel • Equipment • Travel • Participant Support • Other Direct Costs (including subawards, consultant services, computer services, publication costs)

17. Budgetary Guidelines (cont’d) • Call your Program Officer! • All funding sources noted in Current and Pending Support • Sponsored Projects Offices are resources for proposers on NSF guidelines.

18. Sections of an NSF Proposal • Cover Sheet • Project Summary • Table of Contents • Project Description • References Cited • Biographical Sketch(es) • Budget • Current & Pending Support • Facilities, Equipment & Other Resources • Special Information & Supplementary Documentation

19. NSF Publications Program Announcements/ Solicitations Grant Proposal Guide Web Pages Funded Project Abstracts Reports, Special Publications Targeted Workshops Program Officers Incumbent Former “Rotators” Mentors on Campus Previous Panelists Serve As Reviewer Sponsored Research Office Successful Proposals Getting Support in Proposal Writing

20. Selected NSF Programs of Interest

21. Advanced Technological Education (ATE) http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464&org=DUE&from=home Promotes improvement in undergraduate technological education The program emphasis is on two-year colleges • Project areas ($25 to $300 K per year for 3 years): • Program Improvement • Professional Development for Educators • Curriculum and Educational Materials Development • Teacher Preparation • Small Grants for Institutions new to ATE • ATE Centers that provide models and leadership: • National Centers of Excellence: $5 million over four years • Regional Centers of Excellence: $3 million over four years • Resource Centers: $1.5 million over four years • Targeted research on technician Education ($100 to $300K per year up to 4 years) • Preliminary proposals (optional) due April 26, 2007 • Full proposals due October 11, 2007

22. Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) • Institutional grant to support student scholarships for academically talented and financially needy students to complete an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level degree in science and engineering disciplines. • Grantee institutions select scholarship recipients, report demographic information, and manage the S-STEM project. • Letter of Intent – October 10, 2007 • Proposal due date – November 13, 2007 http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5257&org=DUE&from=home

23. STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5488&org=DUE&from=home Type 1 Projects - Full implementation projects to increase the number of students receiving AA or BA degrees • Award size depends on total enrollment of all partner institutions: between $500 K & $2 M • Associate degree-granting institutions with a record of articulation to STEM baccalaureate programs need not necessarily grant associate degrees in STEM fields in order to be eligible. • Projects that improve the transition of students among the collaborating institutions, such as transfer between two- and four-year institutions are encouraged. • Letter of Intent due date expected to be August 2007 • Full Proposal deadline expected to be September 2007

24. Course, Curriculum & Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5741&org=DUE&from=home Projects should address one or more of the following five components : • Conducting research on undergraduate STEM teaching and learning • Creating learning materials and teaching strategies • Developing faculty expertise • Implementing educational innovations • Assessing learning and evaluating innovations Due May 8 or 9, 2007 (depending on state) Phase 1, Exploratory Projects total up to $150 K for 1 - 3 yrs ($200 K for collaborations between 4-year institutions and 2-year institutions) Due January 10, 2008 Phase 2, Expansion Projects total up to $500 K for 2 - 4 yrs Phase 3, Comprehensive Projects total up to $2 M for 3 - 5 yrs

25. Minority Serving Community College (MSCC) Research Teams • http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06008 New program that supports research teams from MSCCs to do research at small business sites across the country. • MSCCs include non-profit Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic-Serving Colleges, and Tribal Colleges whose highest degree awarded is the associate degree. • MSCC Research Teams must consist of at least one faculty member and one student. (Teams with additional students or faculty are encouraged) • The NSF Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II grantee must request the supplemental funding to support the research team. • Faculty at MSCCs can search for small business sites to contact at http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/

26. Community College Institutes (CCI) - Department of Energy & NSF Joint Program • Paid internships in Science and Engineering and Technology for students from community colleges. • 10 week summer research with DOE laboratory scientists. • Career planning activities and numerous training and informational sessions. • Students must apply to DOE lab and be accepted before seeking NSF supplement. • Additional information is available at http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/CCI/about.html. • Current grantees of some NSF/EHR programs may request supplemental funds – refer to the Dear Colleague Letter: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5632.

27. Minority Postdocs • Increase the number of research scientists from underrepresented groups • Awards for research and training • Applicants choose sponsoring scientist and provide research/training plan • 2-3 Year Awards • $50K/yr • $4K Travel Grant • $50K Starter Grant

28. Minority Postdoc Applications and Awards

29. Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Proposal Preparation Workshops • Focused on Faculty from Underrepresented Groups and those at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) • Three year award • Two workshops per year • http://qemnetwork.qem.org/

30. Broadening Participation Two New Funding Opportunities • Research Initiation Grants (RIG) • Career Advancement Awards (CAA)

31. RIG/CAA • Who can apply? • U.S. citizens with doctorate or equivalent experience in a field supported by NSF • Underrepresented minority researchers and researchers at Minority Serving Institutions are especially encouraged to apply

32. RIG/CAA Provide Two year research awards for up to $150,000 with additional $25,000 for equipment RIG: • For PIs who have not had previous Federal Research Funding as PI or CoPI CAA: • For PIs who have received Federal Funding